Last winter saw some the worst storms in British history with the wettest winter on record. Wind speeds peaked at circa 108 mph in places and the Forestry Commission estimated that nearly 30 million trees may have been damaged. The Great Storm of ’87 only damaged 15 million in comparison.

Last year, the Telegraph suggested that insurance claims cost in the region of £1 billion to clear up the devastation, with a high proportion of this damage coming from trees or branches falling on to properties.